Themes that Determine Quality of Life in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Systematic Review

Epidemiology and Burden of Peripheral Artery Disease in People With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and lower-extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) are growing global health problems associated with considerable cardiovascular (CV) and limb-related morbidity and mortality, poor quality of life and high healthcare resource use and costs. Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for PAD, and the occurrence of PAD in people with T2D further increases the risk of long-term complications. As the available evidence is primarily focused on the overall PAD population, we undertook a systematic review to describe the burden of comorbid PAD in people with T2D. The MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies including people with T2D and comorbid PAD published from 2012 to November 2021, with no restriction on PAD definition, study design or country. Hand searching of conference proceedings, reference lists of included publications and relevant identified reviews and global burden of disease reports complemented the searches. We identified 86 eligible studies, mostly observational and conducted in Asia and Europe, presenting data on the epidemiology (n = 62) and on the clinical (n = 29), humanistic (n = 12) and economic burden (n = 12) of PAD in people with T2D. The most common definition of PAD relied on ankle-brachial index values ≤ 0.9 (alone or with other parameters). Incidence and prevalence varied substantially across studies; nonetheless, four large multinational randomised controlled trials found that 12.5%-22% of people with T2D had comorbid PAD. The presence of PAD in people with T2D was a major cause of lower-limb and CV complications and of all-cause and CV mortality. Overall, PAD was associated with poor quality of life, and with substantial healthcare resource use and costs. To our knowledge, this systematic review provides the most comprehensive overview of the evidence on the burden of PAD in people with T2D to date. In this population, there is an urgent unmet need for disease-modifying agents to improve outcomes.

Development and validation of a case study to aid in the diagnostic reasoning of nursing students and nurses

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to develop and validate a case study to aid in the diagnostic reasoning of nursing students and nurses.

METHODS

It is a validation study using a case study based on Lunney's method including (1) content validation of the case study by nurse experts through the Delphi technique, (2) identification of nursing diagnoses (NDs) in the case, (3) evaluation of diagnostic accuracy, and (4) establishment of a priority diagnosis by nurse experts.

FINDINGS

The case study was developed from the findings of a narrative literature review on the cues of the NDs with a prevalence > 50% in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Two rounds of expert evaluation were required to validate the case study. The experts identified 18 NDs with different degrees of accuracy. The highly accurate diagnoses most frequently identified by the experts were: Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion (100%), impaired walking (83%), impaired comfort (50%), and chronic pain (50%). The diagnosis considered a priority by all experts was ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The case study was developed and had its content validated. High-accuracy diagnoses were identified, and a priority was determined.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The validated case study may be used by students and nurses to facilitate the development of diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking in practice, teaching or research.

Inconsistent Benefits From Mobile Information Communication Technology in Adults With Peripheral Arterial Disease

INTRODUCTION

Quality of evidence regarding telemedicine in adults with peripheral arterial disease has not been systematically appraised.

OBJECTIVES

To explore benefits and harms from mobile information communication technology devices and applications in peripheral arterial disease.

METHODS

Systematic rapid evidence review and appraisal with the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation working group approach.

RESULTS

Sixteen randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) examined various self-monitoring devices, telemedicine platforms, and individualized telephone counseling. Low-quality evidence suggested that the odds of treatment failure (pooled Peto odds ratio 0.8; 95% CI, 0.4-1.7; 5 RCTs), adverse effects (pooled Peto odds ratio 0.9; 95% CI, 0.5-1.5; 2 RCTs), and physical performance (standardized mean difference in 6-minute walking test 0.2; 95% CI, -0.3-0.7; 4 RCTs) did not differ between mobile interventions and usual care. Single RCTs suggested large but inconsistent improvement in the quality of life: EuroQol5D standardized mean difference = 5.0 (95% CI, 4.4-5.7; 1 RCT) after telehealth program for promoting patient self-management and standardized mean difference = 1.4 (95% CI, 0.4-2.3; 1 RCT) after structured rehabilitation with mobile self-monitoring. Inconsistent reporting of patient-centered outcomes and small sample sizes hampered the quality of evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved quality of life after specific mobile applications should be confirmed in powered RCTs and large postmarketing studies.

Impact of walk advice alone or in combination with supervised or home-based structured exercise on patient-reported physical function and generic and disease-specific health related quality of life in patients with intermittent claudication, a secondary analysis in a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Supervised exercise is an integral part of the recommended first-line treatment for patients with intermittent claudication (IC). By reflecting the patients' perspectives, patient-reported outcome measurements provide additional knowledge to the biomedical endpoints and are important outcomes to include when evaluating exercise interventions in patients with IC. We aimed to evaluate the one-year impact of three strategies: unsupervised Nordic pole walk advice (WA), WA + six months of home-based structured exercise (HSEP) or WA + six months of hospital-based supervised exercise (SEP) on health-related quality of life and patient-reported physical function in patients with IC.

METHODS

This secondary exploratory analysis of a multi-center, randomized clinical trial compared three exercise strategies. The primary outcome of the secondary analysis was the one-year change in the 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36). Secondary outcomes were three- and six-months SF-36 changes alongside three, six- and 12-months changes in the disease-specific Vascular Quality of Life instrument (VascuQoL) and the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). The Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc tests were used for between-group comparisons. Effect size calculations were used to describe the size of observed treatment effects, and the clinical meaningfulness of observed changes in the VascuQoL summary score at one year was studied using established minimally important difference (MID) thresholds.

RESULTS

A total of 166 patients with IC, mean age: 72.1 (SD 7.4) years, 41% women, were randomized. No significant between-group differences were observed over time for the SF-36 or the PSFS scores whereas some significant between-group differences were observed in the VascuQoL domain and summary scores over time, favoring SEP and/or HSEP over WA. The observed SF-36 and VascuQoL domain and summary score effect sizes were small to moderate, and many domain score effect sizes also remained unchanged over time. A significantly higher proportion of the patients in the SEP group reached the VascuQoL summary score MID of improvement in one year.

CONCLUSION

Clinically important improvements were observed in SEP using the VascuQoL, while we did not observe any significant between-group differences using the SF-36. Whereas effect sizes for the observed changes over time were generally small, a significantly higher proportion of patients in SEP reached the VascuQoL MID of improvement.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT02341716, January 19, 2015 (retrospectively registered).

Patient Related Outcomes After Receiving a Person Centred Nurse Led Follow Up Programme Among Patients Undergoing Revascularisation for Intermittent Claudication: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to evaluate the effect of a person centred nurse led follow up programme on health related quality of life (HRQoL), health literacy, and general self efficacy compared with standard care for patients undergoing revascularisation for intermittent claudication (IC), and to describe factors associated with HRQoL one year after revascularisation.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Patients with IC scheduled for revascularisation at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden between 2016 and 2018 were randomised to intervention or control. During the first year after surgery, the intervention group received a person centred follow up programme with three visits and two telephone calls with a vascular nurse, while the control group received standard follow up with two visits to a vascular surgeon or vascular nurse. Outcomes were HRQoL measured by VascuQol-6, health literacy, and general self efficacy measured by validated questionnaires.

RESULTS

Overall, 214 patients were included in the trial; this secondary analysis comprised 183 patients who completed the questionnaires. One year after revascularisation, HRQoL had improved with a mean increase in VascuQol-6 of 7.0 scale steps (95% CI 5.9 - 8.0) for the intervention and 6.0 scale steps (95% CI 4.9 - 7.0) for the control group; the difference between the groups was not significant (p = .18). In an adjusted regression analysis, the intervention was associated with higher VascuQoL-6 (2.0 scale steps, 95% CI 0.08 - 3.93). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding health literacy or general self efficacy. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy among all participants was 38.7% (46/119) at baseline and 43.2% (51/118) at one year.

CONCLUSION

In this study, a person centred, nurse led follow up programme had no significant impact on HRQoL, health literacy, or general self efficacy among patients undergoing revascularisation for IC. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy was high and should be addressed by healthcare givers and researchers.

Development and validation of a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire for patients with peripheral artery disease (QOLPAD)

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a short and feasible questionnaire to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The content of the new instrument is intended to correspond with the simultaneously developed instrument Patient Benefit Index for PAD (PBI-PAD), which evaluates treatment goals and benefits in this patient group.

METHODS

Fifty patients stated their disease burden on free-text questionnaires, which was used by an interdisciplinary expert panel to develop 12 items for the new instrument, named Quality of Life questionnaire for patients with peripheral artery disease (QOLPAD). The validity of the instrument was tested in patients from Germany with PAD stages I to IV who completed the QOLPAD, EuroQol questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L; EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ VAS)), and Vascular Quality of Life questionnaire (VascuQoL) before (baseline) and three months after (follow-up) treatment.

RESULTS

One hundred and three patients were included at baseline (mean age: 68.6 years; 68% male), among whom, 57 provided data at follow-up. Most patients (86.4%) rated the completion of QOLPAD as being easy. Internal consistency was satisfactory, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.74 (baseline) and 0.84 (follow-up). Convergent validity was indicated by significant correlations with the EQ-5D-3L (baseline: - 0.62; follow-up: - 0.81), EQ VAS (baseline: - 0.44, follow-up: - 0.79), VascuQoL global score (baseline: - 0.77; follow-up: - 0.87), global rating of impairment (baseline: 0.64; follow-up: 0.71), and PAD stage (baseline: 0.40; follow-up: 0.67). Sensitivity to change was confirmed by significant correlations of change in the QOLPAD with changes in convergent criteria; however, the high number of dropouts limits the generalizability of this finding.

CONCLUSION

This study provided evidence that the QOLPAD is internally consistent and valid in patients receiving treatment for PAD in Germany.

Patient and clinician experiences and opinions of the use of a novel home use medical device in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease - a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Peripheral vascular diseases have a significant impact on functional quality of life. Previous research has demonstrated the complex, limiting and costly economic implications of these conditions such as lower limb ulceration chronicity and ischaemic amputation. These complex, limb and life threatening conditions demand the development of novel interventions with objective research as part of that development. Hence, a novel intermittent negative pressure medical device in the form of a wearable boot (FlowOx™) was developed. As part of the development process, this study aimed to explore patient and clinician opinions of the boot.

METHODS

A qualitative approach was used to collect patient and clinician experiences in Norway. An advisory group informed the semi-structured questions used in seven patient interviews and one clinician focus group (n = 5). The data were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. Patient and clinician data were analysed as distinct groups using a thematic process.

RESULTS

Data analysis resulted in five themes from the patients which gave insight into; the impact of the disease process; practicalities of using the boot, positive experiences of use; perceived outcomes; reflecting on use. Six themes were created from the clinicians. These gave insight into; ideal outcomes and how to measure them; ways to potentially use the boot; using research in healthcare; positives of the device; observed effects and next steps; potential improvements to the device.

CONCLUSION

This study provides insight into the experiences and opinions of FlowOx™. Patients and clinicians were positive about the device due to its ease of use. Those patients with peripheral arterial disease experienced significantly more benefit, especially for ischaemic ulceration than those with a chronic venous condition. Clinicians placed value on the patient reported outcomes in the treatment decision-making process. This preliminary study into experiences of FlowOx™ use provides valuable feedback that will inform design modification and ongoing research into implementation points and prospective user groups. FlowOx™ demonstrates potential as a conservative therapy offering users a convenient, home use, self-care management solution for improving symptomatic peripheral arterial disease and quality of life.

Lipid Optimization in Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease

AIMS

This review aims to explore the current guidance and issues surrounding lipid optimisation of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

METHODS

A narrative review of the global PAD guidance, specifically focusing on low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction methods including; 'treating to target', 'fire and forget' and LDL-C percentage reduction. Advanced literature searches were carried out in Pubmed and Google Scholar databases comparing most recent PAD lipid guidance.

RESULTS

PAD lipid guidance could be improved internationally to help clinicians implement the best lipid-reduction strategies for their patients and challenge the arbitrary 1.4 mmol/L LDL-C target in line with novel proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors trials. By educating primary and secondary care staff on the benefits of maximal lipid-reduction therapies, we can reduce major adverse cardiovascular events and major adverse limb events. Championing PAD community clinics may lead to earlier prevention. Research comparing lipid-reduction strategies in practice is needed to improve outcomes internationally, and ongoing practice audited to understand the extent of under-prescribing in PAD.

CONCLUSIONS

This review highlights the current PAD lipid-reduction treatments and the clarity issues of global guidance. Further research is needed to tackle ongoing mortality and morbidity rates in PAD patients against their better off cardiovascular disease (CVD) peers. MESH KEY TERMS: "Cholesterol", "Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors", "Ezetimibe", "Evolocumab", "Alirocumab", "Peripheral Arterial Disease", "Vascular Disease", "Atherosclerosis", "Secondary Prevention", "Lipoprotein, LDL".

Configuration of vascular services: a multiple methods research programme

Background

Vascular services is changing rapidly, having emerged as a new specialty with its own training and specialised techniques. This has resulted in the need for reconfiguration of services to provide adequate specialist provision and accessible and equitable services.

Objectives

To identify the effects of service configuration on practice, resource use and outcomes. To model potential changes in configuration. To identify and/or develop electronic data collection tools for collecting patient-reported outcome measures and other clinical information. To evaluate patient preferences for aspects of services other than health-related quality of life.

Design

This was a multiple methods study comprising multiple systematic literature reviews; the development of a new outcome measure for users of vascular services (the electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular) based on the reviews, qualitative studies and psychometric evaluation; a trade-off exercise to measure process utilities; Hospital Episode Statistics analysis; and the development of individual disease models and a metamodel of service configuration.

Setting

Specialist vascular inpatient services in England.

Data sources

Modelling and Hospital Episode Statistics analysis for all vascular inpatients in England from 2006 to 2018. Qualitative studies and electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular evaluation with vascular patients from the Sheffield area. The trade-off studies were based on a societal sample from across England.

Interventions

The data analysis, preference studies and modelling explored the effect of different potential arrangements for service provision on the resource use, workload and outcomes for all interventions in the three main areas of inpatient vascular treatment: peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and carotid artery disease. The electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular was evaluated as a potential tool for clinical data collection and outcome monitoring.

Main outcome measures

Systematic reviews assessed quality and psychometric properties of published outcome measures for vascular disease and the relationship between volume and outcome in vascular services. The electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular development considered face and construct validity, test–retest reliability and responsiveness. Models were validated using case studies from previous reconfigurations and comparisons with Hospital Episode Statistics data. Preference studies resulted in estimates of process utilities for aneurysm treatment and for travelling distances to access services.

Results

Systematic reviews provided evidence of an association between increasing volume of activity and improved outcomes for peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and carotid artery disease. Reviews of existing patient-reported outcome measures did not identify suitable condition-specific tools for incorporation in the electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular. Reviews of qualitative evidence, primary qualitative studies and a Delphi exercise identified the issues to be incorporated into the electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular, resulting in a questionnaire with one generic and three disease-specific domains. After initial item reduction, the final version has 55 items in eight scales and has acceptable psychometric properties. The preference studies showed strong preference for endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment (willingness to trade up to 0.135 quality-adjusted life-years) and for local services (up to 0.631 quality-adjusted life-years). A simulation model with a web-based interface was developed, incorporating disease-specific models for abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease and carotid artery disease. This predicts the effects of specified reconfigurations on workload, resource use, outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Initial exploration suggested that further reconfiguration of services in England to accomplish high-volume centres would result in improved outcomes, within the bounds of cost-effectiveness usually considered acceptable in the NHS.

Limitations

The major source of evidence to populate the models was Hospital Episode Statistics data, which have limitations owing to the complexity of the data, deficiencies in the coding systems and variations in coding practice. The studies were not able to address all of the potential barriers to change where vascular services are not compliant with current NHS recommendations.

Conclusions

There is evidence of potential for improvement in the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vascular services through further centralisation of sites where major vascular procedures are undertaken. Preferences for local services are strong, and this may be addressed through more integrated services, with a range of services being provided more locally. The use of a web-based tool for the collection of clinical data and patient-reported outcome measures is feasible and can provide outcome data for clinical use and service evaluation.

Future work

Further evaluation of the economic models in real-world situations where local vascular service reconfiguration is under consideration and of the barriers to change where vascular services do not meet NHS recommendations for service configuration is needed. Further work on the electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire – Vascular is required to assess its acceptability and usefulness in clinical practice and to develop appropriate report formats for clinical use and service evaluation. Further studies to assess the implications of including non-health-related preferences for care processes, and location of services, in calculations of cost-effectiveness are required.

Study registration

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42016042570, CRD42016042573, CRD42016042574, CRD42016042576, CRD42016042575, CRD42014014850, CRD42015023877 and CRD42015024820.

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full in Programme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 9, No. 5. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Risk factors associated with amputation-free survival for patients with peripheral arterial disease: a systematic review

AIMS

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with morbidity and mortality, comprising a significant percentage of amputations. As it affects the quality of life of patients with PAD, it is an important health issue. Therefore, the risk factors affecting the outcomes of limb salvage after revascularization should be well investigated. The aim of this review is to summarize risk factors of amputation-free survival (AFS) after interventions targeting patients with PAD to develop evidence-based intervention for improving patient outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted, and the protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020183076). PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for observational studies published between 2008 and 2019. Search terms included 'peripheral arterial disease', 'risk factors', and 'amputation-free survival'. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Tools. Seventeen cohort studies were included in our study, and 16 risk factors were identified. Risk factors exemplifying a significant influence on decreased AFS were divided into three categories: sociodemographic (e.g. older age, male gender, African-American race, low body mass index, high nutritional risk, frailty), disease-related characteristics (e.g. severity of the disease, intervention site), and comorbidities (e.g. cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, wide pulse pressure).

CONCLUSION

We found that managing modifiable risk factors, as well as addressing high-risk populations, has the potential to improve outcomes of PAD interventions. More high-quality cohort studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Epidemiology of peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis that primarily affects peripheral arteries within the lower extremities. In this brief review, we describe the epidemiology and burden of disease of PAD within the United States, particularly among high-risk populations. Although the prevalence of PAD continues to increase and is typically higher among the elderly as well as men, women in lower socioeconomic strata are affected at rates two times that of men. Among racial/ethnic groups, Black and African-American patients both experience higher rates of disease as well as lower rates of access to preventative care. Moreover, despite an overall decrease in amputation rates among all patients with PAD, high-risk populations remain disproportionally affected. Specifically, patients in rural areas, African-American and Native-American patients, and those of low socioeconomic status carry the highest risk of amputation. Efforts to improve care among PAD patients should target these high-risk populations and offer comprehensive, evidence-based preventative care. Wide adoption and integration of these practices into comprehensive care models may help to mitigate amputation in the highest-risk populations. As our treatment pathways continue to evolve, we must place further emphasis on patient input and quality of life as we work toward continual improvement in the care of patients with PAD.

Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Major Lower Limb Amputation Caused by Peripheral Artery Disease or Diabetes: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Most major lower limb amputations are related to peripheral artery disease (PAD) or diabetes. Just 40% of patients who undergo major lower limb amputation will use a prosthesis yet measures of surgical success commonly focus on prosthesis use. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are valuable to comprehensively evaluate health related quality of life (HRQL) after surgery. This systematic review aimed to identify and describe PROMs available to assess HRQL in patients after amputation for PAD or diabetes.

METHODS

A search was conducted based on the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) for systematic reviews of PROMs. Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL were also searched from inception until August 2019. Included were articles describing the development, measurement properties, or evaluation of HRQL via a PROM in adult patients after amputation for PAD or diabetes. Studies of amputation exclusively for trauma or malignancy were excluded. Data were collected on study characteristics, PROM characteristics (generic/disease specific), and properties of amputation specific PROMs.

RESULTS

Of 3 317 abstracts screened, 111 full text articles were assessed for eligibility and 64 included. Fifty-six studies evaluated HRQL, with 23 (46%) of these using an amputation specific PROM to do so. Eleven different amputation specific PROMs were identified, 10 (91%) of which were developed only for prosthesis users. One measure was suitable for use in all patients after amputation. This "Amputee single item mobility measure" includes a single item evaluating mobility. Nine studies reported some psychometric testing of an amputation specific PROM.

CONCLUSION

A well tested, multidimensional PROM applicable to wheelchair and prosthetic users after amputation is lacking and urgently needed for studies in this field. Future work to develop an appropriate measure is required.

Patient perspectives of ankle-foot orthoses for walking ability in peripheral artery disease: A qualitative study

Calf claudication associated with peripheral artery disease results in limited walking ability and diminished quality of life. Ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) have been used to mitigate calf pain during community-based walking exercise, yet little is known about patients' perspectives of this novel device. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the personal impact AFO had on patients who used them. Ten patients with calf claudication who previously completed a 12-week unstructured community-based walking program supplemented by AFO participated in a semi-structured recorded focus group. After data saturation was achieved, transcripts were coded and analyzed, and 2 primary themes emerged from the focus groups: 1) positive functional impact of AFO on walking ability and quality of life and 2) self-selected AFO usage patterns. Six subthemes included 1) positive ambulatory changes from using AFO, 2) sustained ambulatory improvements without AFO, 3) positive psychosocial impact, 4) optimal conditions for AFO usage, 5) optimal ambulatory surfaces when using AFO, and 6) challenges with comorbidities. The AFO were influential in decreasing claudication symptoms, improving walking capacity, and enhancing participation in meaningful daily and recreational activities. This study explores experiential knowledge of patients with calf claudication describing AFO as an effective tool to enhance unstructured walking programs. Further trials are needed to optimize device design and effectiveness in varying walking environments.

Biomarker Utility for Peripheral Artery Disease Diagnosis in Real Clinical Practice: A Prospective Study

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common manifestation of generalized atherosclerosis, which affects more than 200 million patients worldwide. Currently, there is no ideal biomarker for PAD risk stratification and diagnosis. The goal of this research was to investigate the levels of inflammation biomarkers and cystatin C and to explore their utility for the diagnosis of PAD. The study included 296 participants, distributed in two groups: 216 patients diagnosed with PAD and 80 patients without PAD as controls. All studied biomarker levels (C-reactive protein, CRP; fibrinogen; erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR; neopterin; beta 2-microglobulin, B2-MG; and cystatin C) were significantly higher in the PAD group and indirectly correlated with the ankle-brachial index (ABI). The final logistic regression model included an association of neopterin, fibrinogen, and cystatin C as the most efficient markers for the prediction of PAD diagnosis. When comparing the area under the curve (AUC) for all biomarkers, the value for neopterin was significantly higher than those of all the other analyzed biomarkers. In agreement with previous studies, this research shows that markers such as fibrinogen, CRP, ESR, B2-MG, and cystatin C have significant value for the diagnosis of PAD, and also clearly underlines the accuracy of neopterin as a leading biomarker in PAD prediction.

Long-term incidence of cancer after index treatment for symptomatic peripheral arterial disease - a health insurance claims data analysis

Background: Cancer as a concomitant condition in symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients could have an impact on further therapy and the long-term prognosis of these patients. Aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an increased incidence of cancer in PAD patients and to quantify the corresponding effect size. Materials and methods: Between January 1^st, 2008 and December 31^st, 2017, we analysed health insurance claims data from Germany's second-largest insurance fund, BARMER. Symptomatic PAD patients suffering from intermittent claudication (IC) or chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) were stratified by gender at index treatment. PAD patients were then followed until an incident cancer diagnosis was recorded. To adjust for age and gender, standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were computed using the 2012 German standard population as reference. Results: 96,528 PAD patients (47% female, 44% IC, mean age 72 years) were included in the current study. When compared to the overall population, female and male PAD patients have a significantly increased risk of incident cancer of the lung (SIR 3.5 vs. 2.6), bladder (SIR 3.2 vs. 4.0), pancreas (SIR 1.4 vs. 1.6), and colon (SIR 1.3 vs. 1.3). During ten years of follow-up, some 7% of males and 4% of females developed lung cancer. For bladder, colon and pancreas cancer, the cumulative hazards were 1% vs. 3.2%, 2.2% vs. 2.8%, and 0.7% vs. 0.9%, respectively. Conclusions: Patients suffering from symptomatic PAD face a markedly higher risk for incident cancer in the long-term follow-up. The cancer risk increased continuously for certain types and PAD was strongly associated with cancer of the lung, bladder, pancreas, and colon. Taking these results into account, PAD patients could benefit from secondary and tertiary screening. These results also emphasize the impact of common risk factors such as tobacco smoke as target for health prevention.

Mixed methods study to develop the content validity and the conceptual framework of the electronic patient-reported outcome measure for vascular conditions

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper is to describe the stages undertaken to generate the items and conceptual framework of a new electronic personal assessment questionnaire for vascular conditions.

DESIGN

A mixed methods study: First a survey of vascular clinicians was completed to identify the most common conditions treated in vascular clinics and wards. Quantitative systematic reviews were done to identify validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for direct inclsuion in the new instrument. However, due to scarcity of validated PROMs, the items of the new instrument were mainly based on a large qualitative study of patients and systematic reviews of the qualitative evidence . This was followed by a quantitative clinicians' consensus study and, finally, a qualitative face validity study with patients.

PARTICIPANTS

Vascular patients participated in the primary qualitative study and the face validity study. In the qualitative study, 55 patients were interviewed, and for the face validity, 19 patients gave feedback. Twelve clinicians completed the survey and 13 completed two cycles of the clinicians' consensus study.

RESULTS

The items and scales in the electronic personal assessment questionnaire for vascular conditions (ePAQ-VAS) were generated based on the results of five systematic reviews evaluating existing PROMs for possible inclusion in ePAQ-VAS, five systematic reviews of qualitative evidence, a primary qualitative study involving 55 patients and clinicians' input. One hundred and sixty-eight items were initially generated, of which 59 were eliminated by the expert panel due to repetition. The instrument was divided into one generic and three disease-specific sections (abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease and lower limb vascular conditions). In each section, items were grouped together into putative scales. Fifty-five items were grouped across eight scales; the remaining items were kept as individual items, because of relevance to service users.

CONCLUSIONS

This multidimensional electronic questionnaire covers the most common vascular conditions. This is particularly important for patients presenting with mixed symptoms or multiple conditions. This tool captures symptomatology, health related quality of life (HRQoL) and other clinically relevant data, such as experience with services and comorbidities.

Health-related quality of life after vascular surgery and endovascular treatment in subjects with critical limb ischemia

Background & Objective:

Revascularization of the target vessel and restoration of distal flow is critical not only to reduce mortality and morbidity but also improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with critical limb ischemia. However, data concerning the impact of surgical bypass and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) on HRQoL is limited. This study aimed to compare the impact of surgical bypass and PTA on HRQoL in subjects undergoing superficial femoral artery (SFA) or popliteal artery revascularization.

Methods:

Seventy-one subjects who underwent successful revascularization of the SFA or popliteal artery either with surgical revascularization or PTA were enrolled in this study. Three months after revascularization, all subjects underwent ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement, 6-minute walking test and completed the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) questionnaire. The NHP score differences (measured at the post-procedural 3^rd month) between subjects undergoing surgical or endovascular (PTA) revascularization subjects was the primary outcome measure of the study.

Results:

Both groups experienced significant improvements in ABI and 6-minute walking distance at post-procedure three months. NHP total scores of Part I and Part II at post-procedural six months were similar in the two groups. However, social isolation [77.98 (0 - 85) vs. 22.53 (0 - 100), p=0.002] and physical abilities [78.7 (30.31 - 87.7) vs. 54.47 (0 - 100), P=0.014] domain scores of the surgical revascularization group were significantly higher than that of the endovascular treatment group.

Conclusion:

This study shows that total scores obtained from the NHP questionnaire applied three months after revascularization of SFA stenosis are similar in subjects undergoing surgical revascularization or PTA. However, the social isolation and physical abilities domains of the NHP are significantly higher in subjects receiving surgical revascularization compared to those receiving PTA.

Illness perceptions in patients with peripheral arterial disease: A systematic review of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic diseases create their own subjective beliefs about their conditions based on their illness perceptions. In the common-sense model, illness perceptions constitute personal beliefs about illness with regard to five components: identity, timeline, cause, control/cure, and consequences. Patients' illness perceptions affect both their management of their disease and their adherence to treatment. Since patients with peripheral arterial disease need life-long treatment for secondary prevention, generating knowledge about illness perceptions in patients with peripheral arterial disease is essential.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review and synthesise the literature on illness perceptions in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

DESIGN

A systematic review DATA SOURCES: PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO.

REVIEW METHODS

A systematic search strategy was conducted in December 2017, with an update in July 2019. Two team members independently screened all titles and abstracts. A relevance and quality appraisal of the studies was performed. The references from the included studies were evaluated for additional studies. The data from 14 studies were extracted and synthesised using a "best-fit" approach to framework analysis. A deductive analysis was conducted using the common-sense model. The data not suitable for the framework were analysed separately using inductive conventional content analysis, yielding an additional component representing the retrospective consequences of peripheral arterial disease.

FINDINGS

The findings showed diversity in illness perceptions in each of the five components of the framework as well as in the additional component. The findings showed participants' lack of understanding of the chronic nature of the disease, i.e., about the timeline, the identity of the symptoms and the cause of the disease. The patients' beliefs about control and cures varied from having high motivation to engage in physical activity to thinking that walking could make their situations worse. There was fear about the future, as patients perceived disease progression and decreasing control to be consequences of their illness. Living with the disease, the emphasis in the additional component, was a process for regaining control and adapting to their situations.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with peripheral arterial disease shape their own understandings of their conditions. These beliefs may influence their management of their disease and adherence to treatment. Therefore, the current study suggests that illness perceptions should be addressed when planning secondary prevention for patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Electronic personal assessment questionnaire for vascular conditions (ePAQ-VAS): development and validity

Background

This paper describes the development and validation of an electronic personal assessment questionnaire for vascular conditions (ePAQ-VAS) that captures the symptomatology, quality of life and clinically relevant data of patients presenting to vascular services.

Methods

A two-stage survey was conducted in patients attending a tertiary vascular department. Patients completed the ePAQ-VAS remotely online, or on site using an electronic tablet. In the first stage of the survey, the responses were used to perform confirmatory factor analysis to assess the construct validity and remove redundant items. The internal reliability of disease-specific scales was investigated. In the second stage of the survey, the acceptability, known-group validity, test–retest reliability, and responsiveness of ePAQ-VAS was assessed.

Results

In total, 721 patients completed ePAQ-VAS. Their mean(s.d.) age was 63·5(15·7) years and 468 (64·9 per cent) were men. Some 553 patients (76·7 per cent) completed the questionnaire in clinic and the remainder completed the questionnaire online. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the conceptual model for ePAQ-VAS structure and eliminated six items. Internal reliability was acceptable for all the scales (Cronbach's α greater than 0·7). The test–retest reliability measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0·65 to 0·99. The results showed that the instrument was responsive over time with the standardized response mean ranging from 0·69 to 1·60.

Conclusion

ePAQ-VAS is a holistic data-collection process that is relevant to vascular service users and has potential to contribute to patient-focused care and the collection of aggregate data for service evaluation. A demonstration version of the final version of ePAQ can be viewed at http://demo-questionnaire.epaq.co.uk/home/project?id=VASC_1.7&page=1.